Another Virgin Marketing Blunder

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  • Anonymous
    Guest

    dutchyankee
    Participant

    Have any of you read the following story on CNN (slow news day I guess)?

    Madonna and her entourage were let off a Virgin Atlantic plane that was stuck on a snowy tarmac two hours before any of the other passengers, according to London’s Daily Mail.

    The flight from New York was originally destined for London’s Heathrow Airport but instead landed at Stansted Airport due to bad weather, where the plane sat for about three hours, said the Daily Mail.

    “As the plane was diverted to Stansted due to very difficult weather conditions, disembarkation was delayed while ground staff waited for buses to transport customers back to London Heathrow,” said a statement from Virgin Atlantic. “We apologize for any inconvenience this diversion caused, but for safety reasons this action was unavoidable.”

    According to other first-class passengers, Madonna and her associates were let off the plane first and were taken by bus to the terminal, said the story.

    Virgin said in their statement, “It is common across airlines that business and first-class passengers disembark first and this is reflected in the higher cost of the ticket.”

    Still, no other first-class passengers were allowed off the flight for another two hours, though they were reportedly treated to a performance from the Queen of Pop herself, passengers told the Daily Mail — a yoga performance in the aisles, that is.

    How absurd is this. And Virgin’s excuses are one after another BS. No one questions the diversion, what should be questioned is why one passenger and entourage were allowed to deplane whilst others had to wait. Virgin itself stated that it is common place that Business and First (how Virgin would know what is common in First is beyond me as they don’t even have First) passenegers disembark first, and yet only Madonna and her entourage were afforded that luxury, all others in Upper Class had to wait.

    Discriminatory, maybe, disgraceful for sure! A typical publicity stunt for Virgin, but one I hope will have serious negative implications! It just adds insult to injury when Virgin makes such a decision, and thousands of other travellers around Europe are suffering, waiting, hoping to get where they wish to be. Reading this, I for one will never set foot on Virgin again!


    VintageKrug
    Participant

    And it’s news to me that Virgin operates any aircraft with first class.

    Upper Class is a Business Class product.


    dutchyankee
    Participant

    Exactly. CNN can’t even get that right.


    EdTraveller
    Participant

    Its true that Virgin Upper Class is a Business Class product but as someone who has flown Upper Class twice in the last year as well as BA First then Virgin trumps BA’s First product with great service, smiles, on board Bar and great atmosphere on board. I am a BA Gold card holder and fly with them a lot but Vigin are better and more cost effective…..albeit I have not tried the new First offering !


    dutchyankee
    Participant

    Ginger1, glad you are a fan of Virgin. The point of this post was not a comparison of Upper Class vs Club World or First, but about the complete stupidity and unfair action Virgin took with regard to their passengers, and then hide behind such a comment about letting Business Class passengers off the plane first, while in fact the other Business Class passengers had to wait another 2 hours!!

    I have flown Virgin Upper Class a few times, once it was excellent, twice it was an absolute disgrace. After this latest foray of celebrity treatment, I will vote with my cash and stick to BA.

    I do not fly BA First often enough (only two roundtrips a year) but have always found it a superior product, and definitely when compared to Upper Class. I do fly Club World considerably though, and whilst not always perfect, I know I can always count on a professional, seasoned crew, a great seat, and almost always, excellent service.

    With Virgin I personally find they rely on gimmicks such as Massage, Bar, manicures, to cover or mask a true lack of professionalism or quality. Its a personal opinion. Irrespective, this story regarding Madonna, still beggars belief!


    seanyjmuclhr
    Participant

    @dutchflyer Oh come on, so they couldn’t disembark at the same time as Madonna. Given what everyone else is going through at LHR and other airports, let’s look at the positives here: 1) the passengers landed back in the UK safely and 2) they did get to see the Queen of Pop. Fantastic! I would give anything to experience what they did when compared to my misery over the past few days at LHR.

    As for the CW vs UC debate, the fact that Madonna chose to fly VS UC shows where her allegiance lies. And that’s good enough for me. Plus, are you telling me that BA and other airlines don’t treat their VIPs any differently? Of course they do.

    Merry Christmas


    dutchyankee
    Participant

    Sean, I could really care less if I sit next to Madonna or not, and seeing a 50+ year old doing yoga in the aisles, regardless of who it is, is not my ‘cup of tea!’ I am sure if this had happened on BA every BA hater would be up in arms about this. But it is fine for Virgin. And exactly my point, all these other travellers are sufferring, but supposed ‘Pop Royalty’ doesn’t have to! She should be allowed to get off the plane whilst others have to wait two more hours, really, you dont have a problem with this.

    You say you would have loved to experience what they did as opposed to what you have had to g through at LHR, but she should be immune?? How anyone can find this to be fair treatment is beyond me. If they could get the bus to the plane to get her off, then everyone else should have been allowed to get off too. As to why she chose Virgin, please, can you really be that naive??? Seems to me Virgin had something to do with the recording industry at one time! Could it have been a marketing ploy, a PR opportunity? So I guess when the plethora of celebrities who choose to fly BA, showing where their allegiances lie, is that then not good enough for you. Stick with Virgin, that’s the great thing about having choices, but Virgin’s actions here are simply wrong. And their excuses make them look and sound even more unprofessional than ever.

    Of course, all airlines treat VIP’s, Celebrities, and Royalty (real Royalty) special. But this experience is beyond the pale. Virgin can not hide behind the fact that the airport couldn’t accommodate, didn’t have the customs people, snow, or any other excuse they will no doubt have to come up with, as they were able to get her off the plane, so give me a reason why the rest of the passengers, had to wait another two hours? Holding passengers back whilst First Class or Business Class disembarks at the gate or remote stand is one thing, holding passengers prisoner except for a Diva, is completely another.


    Travel-guru
    Participant

    The thread starts with the idea that this was ‘another’ blunder. I am confused a little by this as I don’t recall other blunders and VS marketing tends to be pretty slick. What other have there been?


    seanyjmuclhr
    Participant

    @Travel-guru I agree. The title of this thread reads like a Daily Mail sensationalist headline. VS’s marketing beats any other airline’s hands down.

    @dutchyankee You have missed my point. I am arguing that all things are relative. Having sat myself on a plane on Saturday for 9 hours at LHR not going anywhere with very little food and blocked toilets, the idea that a number of passengers got back to the UK safely, and perhaps saw Madonna – despite a two hour wait to disembark – is in my book better than being stranded on an aircraft or at an airport with no idea of what is going on.

    Frankly I couldn’t care less whether it was VS or BA or whomever else. Sadly, your rant sounds as if you have an exaggeratedly oversized axe to grind with VS. I am sorry that you feel like that.

    So they had to wait 2 hours. They still have their health, their sanity and they got back to the UK. There are countless people in this world who have much bigger issues. Perhaps you should focus your efforts on helping them instead.

    In an ideal world, everyone should be treated equally, but we’re not. Get over it.


    dutchyankee
    Participant

    Sean, I realise many people are suffering this holiday season, just as I did last year about the same time flying CO due to the threat of a BA strike (I left the experience on this blog) so I really do not appreciate your holier than thou atttitude. The passengers on this flight should not of had to wait, irrespective of how long you or others have had to wait or the experience you have had. I feel bad about yours and so many others experiences, and can truly empathise as I went through similar last year, but the simple point is If they could get Madonna off, and her entourage, then why not the rest. The total time on board was over three hours, but after the wait commenced, she was then allowed off, but the others had to wait a further two hours. I have no axe to grind against VS, exaggerated or otherwise, this is just wrong and had it occurred on BA I would likewise have commented. Of course had it been BA this blog would have been full of so many people slamming BA for Discrimination, unfair treatment, whatever, just as they have blamed BA for the weather these past days.

    Get over it?? I guess I am not allowed an opinion. And yes, in a perfect world we would all be treated equally, which is why, when we are not, some of us get annoyed, and point it out. If you choose to accept inequality then go for it, I don’t. So no, I won’t ‘get over it.’

    As for the title Marketing Blunder, perhaps it would be better to have said another PR Blunder of which they have had plenty. I do agree, however, their advertising is pretty good.


    LuganoPirate
    Participant

    I cannot answer why VS did this, but I would like to comment that had I been on that plane, I would have been slightly envious but not begrudged her the treatment. Now, I’m no fan of madonna at all, but love her or hate her she is very successful. She probably travels very frequently and most likely every time with a small entourage so is a valuable customer.

    Why the “special” treatment. First, I think no airline would put a celebrity of her standing (nor many minor ones for that) in a bus with all us lesser mortals for the simple reason it could endanger her and other passengers should fans try and jostle forward to get a closer look, photo or autograph.

    Secondly, her “people” had probably arranged alternative transport so she did not need to use the VS provided bus to LHR (which is most likely what you were all waiting for and probably the terminal was full as well). Third, she has a well known face, and would not be a possible illegal immigrant to the UK, so VS would have vouched for her (if that was even necessary) which allowed her to go straight through and out.

    Finally, it is possible to get the same sort of VIP service from many airlines. You just have to be a premium passenger and pay for it. Some advertise it openly, such a TAP, others do not and it has to be requested. It’s quite pricey, especially if you’re with a family, but I find it worth every cent in some out of the way places where you are whisked from the plane, through formalities to land-side and into a car or taxi!

    If you are HON status with Miles and More you will always be met at the plane on disembarking and assisted through, so if you don’t want to pay for the service notch up the miles (600,000 in two years)!!!


    FlyingChinaman
    Participant

    LuganoPirate

    Your comments made sense. In any case Madonna must be a UK permanent resident as she was married to Guy Ritchie, therefore simply can not be an illigal immigrant!


    LordKenT
    Participant

    With over 20 Million Copies of “Like a VIRGIN’ sold I’m sure Madona is treated like the Best Free promoter ever .


    JohnWillson1
    Participant

    Hey Dutch Yankee, you need to get a life man.

    Who gives a flying f&^% that Madonna got off first?

    It sounds like only you.

Viewing 15 posts - 1 through 15 (of 22 total)
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